Dominique’s 3 days old pullets or cockerels?

[Suzanne in TN]

Feather-sexing generally only works in crosses specifically selected for it. (Fast feathering rooster breed x slow-feathering hen breed gets slow-feathering cockerels and fast-feathering pullets. The fast-feathering pullets would have two rows of feathers, but it only works in this specific circumstance.)

However, Dominiques are fast-feathering, (it's a sexlinked-gene, so males will have two copies of fast-feathering and hens will have only one and so the cockerels will get feathers faster) so shorter feathers have a greater likelihood of belonging to a pullet. You'll have to compare them to their hatchmates for any reliable guesses.

This is awesome information! Ive been out with them this morning holding each one. These are the differences Ive noticed. Please tell me your thoughts when you have time 2 of the chicks have no real bright spots on their heads, , they have no tail feathers, their wings appear shorter and don't have as much light color on their wings, they are much more friendly, both will climb into my hand and eat. The other 4 have longer wings with light coloring on them, 2 rows of feathers, tail feathers, bright spots on their heads, are not friendly, will not come on their own into my hand to receive food These may seem like strange observations but these are the difference I noticed LOL

 

[Suzanne in TN]

Feather-sexing generally only works in crosses specifically selected for it. (Fast feathering rooster breed x slow-feathering hen breed gets slow-feathering cockerels and fast-feathering pullets. The fast-feathering pullets would have two rows of feathers, but it only works in this specific circumstance.)

However, Dominiques are fast-feathering, (it's a sexlinked-gene, so males will have two copies of fast-feathering and hens will have only one and so the cockerels will get feathers faster) so shorter feathers have a greater likelihood of belonging to a pullet. You'll have to compare them to their hatchmates for any reliable guesses.

Here are a couple of pictures showing what I’m talking about, bright color on head, two rows of longer feathers, slight tail feathers

 

[sylviethecochin]

I see no pictures, but it sounds like you probably have four males and two females. There's an additional sign, with purebred Barred birds (or cuckoo)--Barring is carried on the "male" chromosome, Z. Female birds are WZ, Male birds have two copies of the male chromosome and are ZZ. So males can carry two copies of barring, and females can only carry one.

That, incidentally, is why pullets have smaller headspots--the same gene that causes barring causes headspots. Two copies of barring = bigger headspot than one copy of barring.

This also means that males have more white on their wings. Barring is actually a loss of pigment, and more barring gene = less pigment. So with pullets, you shouldn't be seeing much white at all at this point. With males, you should see a small amount of white.


Young male:

Young female:

Note that the above chicks are Barred Rocks, which are a slow-feathering breed, so Barred Rock males will actually have less feather, and the females will have more. I stole the pictures from the internet.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

PLEASE NOTE:

The only way to sex these chicks is to wait until they're at least six weeks old, then post pics of the comb.

Feather sexing does not work for these breeds. It only works for special crosses. (sex links)

Head spots or leg color etc. does not work for these breeds either. Unless you have bought them from a dedicated breeder, the genes run together, making the coloring unreliable. Hens can have rooster feathering, etc.

The only reliable way to sex chickens these days are the comb, (males will redden at 6+ weeks) and male feathering. (males develop pointy saddle and hackle feathers at 12+ weeks)

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Can you post pics of their wings kinda spread out?

Wing sexing only works for specific crosses.(sex links)

 

[sylviethecochin]

PLEASE NOTE:

The only way to sex these chicks is to wait until they're at least six weeks old, then post pics of the comb.

Feather sexing does not work for these breeds. It only works for special crosses. (sex links)

Head spots or leg color etc. does not work for these breeds either. Unless you have bought them from a dedicated breeder, the genes run together, making the coloring unreliable. Hens can have rooster feathering, etc.

The only reliable way to sex chickens these days are the comb, (males will redden at 6+ weeks) and male feathering. (males develop pointy saddle and hackle feathers at 12+ weeks)

Barred hens never have rooster patterning. It's impossible, genetically, unless there is a freak of nature ZZW (which does occur. But it's like finding a Ginger queen cat) Barring simply does not occur in the female chromosome. You'll occasionally find a barred hen with a lighter-colored chest; in my (admittedly limited) experience, that's always been from crossing with a columbian wheaten strain [EDT: ie, RIR and Production Red]. It does not affect the rest of the bird (wings, back, tail.)

Barred birds do not have to be bred for sexlinked headspots; CCLs, Old English Games, Welsummers and other partridge/duckwing birds do have to be carefully bred to have sexlinked down color.

I do not raise barred birds. However, every study that I have read on the subject has shown that sexing by headspots is at least 80% accurate, even among hatchery stock. Shank color is, apparently, less useful as it does vary by strain. Headspots, however, do not.

Disclaimer: All of this information was found online. I don't like Barred Rocks, have never owned any other barred birds, and haven't sexed any straight run BR chicks since I was sixteen or so and living at home. And then it was for fun at TSC. The lady who was buying them did come across me later and say that I had been accurate, though. Of course, with only four birds, I had a pretty good chance anyway...

 

[sylviethecochin]

This is awesome information! Ive been out with them this morning holding each one. These are the differences Ive noticed. Please tell me your thoughts when you have time 2 of the chicks have no real bright spots on their heads, , they have no tail feathers, their wings appear shorter and don't have as much light color on their wings, they are much more friendly, both will climb into my hand and eat. The other 4 have longer wings with light coloring on them, 2 rows of feathers, tail feathers, bright spots on their heads, are not friendly, will not come on their own into my hand to receive food These may seem like strange observations but these are the difference I noticed LOL

Do you want to mark them and see if your guesses are right? Maybe post pictures every week or two? I'm not guaranteeing that you have four males and two females, but I'm at least 85% certain that you do.

 

[Suzanne in TN]

Do you want to mark them and see if your guesses are right? Maybe post pictures every week or two? I'm not guaranteeing that you have four males and two females, but I'm at least 85% certain that you do.

Thank you all so much for your help!!!! This is an awesome idea! I will post pictures of them weekly and we can all see what they are

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

Barred hens never have rooster patterning. It's impossible, genetically, unless there is a freak of nature ZZW (which does occur. But it's like finding a Ginger queen cat) Barring simply does not occur in the female chromosome. You'll occasionally find a barred hen with a lighter-colored chest; in my (admittedly limited) experience, that's always been from crossing with a columbian wheaten strain [EDT: ie, RIR and Production Red]. It does not affect the rest of the bird (wings, back, tail.)

Barred birds do not have to be bred for sexlinked headspots; CCLs, Old English Games, Welsummers and other partridge/duckwing birds do have to be carefully bred to have sexlinked down color.

I do not raise barred birds. However, every study that I have read on the subject has shown that sexing by headspots is at least 80% accurate, even among hatchery stock. Shank color is, apparently, less useful as it does vary by strain. Headspots, however, do not.

Disclaimer: All of this information was found online. I don't like Barred Rocks, have never owned any other barred birds, and haven't sexed any straight run BR chicks since I was sixteen or so and living at home. And then it was for fun at TSC. The lady who was buying them did come across me later and say that I had been accurate, though. Of course, with only four birds, I had a pretty good chance anyway...

I'm not saying that hens genetically have the rooster barring. Because yes, I agree with ou, it's impossible. But, I've seen hens with really funky barring, that looks like males. Enough so that you can't completely rely on it.

 

[guardianoftheflock]

Wing sexing only works for specific crosses.(sex links)

K! Thanks for your help!